Fighting from Mounts
Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Unknown Regions See also: Mounts The Ride skill, along with associated Feats and Talents found in this and other Star Wars Roleplaying Game Saga Edition supplements, covers fighting from a living mount. The following combat actions can also be used with Mounts, by characters Trained in the Ride skill. Using Mounts in Combat Riding a Beast in combat is much like riding a Speeder Bike or another Vehicle. The Beast uses the rider's Actions, such as a Move Action to Move up to its Speed, or a Standard Action to use its natural weapons, or 3 Swift Actions to allow the Mount to move up the Condition Track with the Recover Action. For the most part, the Mount is treated as being under the rider's control, especially if the creature has been trained for battle. Obviously, being Trained in Ride helps maximize the benefit of using a live Mount in battle. Typically, a Mount has better speed than its rider, or it possesses a means of travel that its rider does not, such as exceptional climbing ability or flight. Like Vehicles, Mounts can take advantage of certain Feats that the rider possesses, such as Dodge, Mobility, Powerful Charge, and Running Attack, in addition to the Momentum Strike and Mounted Defense Feats. Other Feats and Talents that can enhance a Mount's combat prowess include: Animal Companions If the Gamemaster decides to award an animal companion an equal share of the group's earned Experience Points, eventually the creature will gain enough Experience Points to advance in level. Even though it is a player-controlled NPC, the animal companion still follows the standard advancement rules found in Heroic Classes. Since heroes are exceptional individuals, their Animal Companions would likely become similarly exceptional. Attacks of Opportunity When an enemy provokes an Attack of Opportunity, both you and your Mount can each make a single attack once per round. You can elect for both you and your Mount to take the Attack of Opportunity simultaneously in response to the same provoking Action, or you can save one or both attacks for a future Attack of Opportunity in the same round. Having the Combat Reflexes Feat allows you or your Mount to make additional attacks, but you cannot share extra attacks with your Mount, or vice versa. Catch a Second Wind A Mount that has a Heroic Class or the Extra Second Wind Feat can catch a Second Wind once per day as a Swift Action. Fall Prone A Mount voluntarily falling into a Prone position requires a Swift Action. If the Mount is Trained in the Acrobatics Skill, it can fall Prone as a Free Action with a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check. Mounted Charge You can Charge while riding a Mount. As a Standard Action, you can move your Mount's speed (Minimum 4 squares) in a straight line, and then you or your Mount can make a melee attack at the end of movement. You or your Mount gain a +2 competence bonus to the attack roll and take a -2 penalty to Reflex Defense until the start of your next turn. You can Charge through squares containing low objects and Difficult Terrain, but doing so costs twice as much per square as normal. You can Charge through squares occupied by enemies smaller than the size of your Mount, but not squares occupied by enemies of the same size as or larger than your Mount. After you resolve a Charge attack, you can take no further actions this turn. You can use Feats that modify the Charge action when making a Mounted Charge attack. Stand Up Standing a Mount up from a Prone position requires a Move Action. A Mount Trained in the Acrobatics skill can stand up as a Swift Action with a successful DC 15 Acrobatics check.